


Watercolour Dreams

by mochibunn



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, Voltron: Lion Voltron
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombies, Apocalypse, Edgy emo bean, Help me oml, Langst, M/M, Post-Zombie Apocalypse, Sorta? Not really, The meme team does it again, Voltron, Wiccan allura, Zombies, bless
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 15:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mochibunn/pseuds/mochibunn
Summary: In a world ravenged with death, bonds weren't something one should tangle themselves up in. It would only weigh you down, turning everything on you when the one who had trusted their life in your hands was eaten alive; right in front of you.The world was crying and so was she. Such an amazing person, and yet her heart was ridden with such misfortune. She deserved none of this- it should have happened to me. She shouldn't of had to miss half her life, only to awaken to a strange world that was in so, so much pain.They were all I have, as the world slowly crumbled around us; they were all I need. Even if his sense of humor hardly dulled the sharp blade of fear, or his cooking hardly quenched our hunger, we still lived. We may struggle, but we lived! We made it through thick and thin, painful memories and horrid events, but we still trudged on.





	1. Chapter 1

   The night sky was thick with smoke, the flickering of a dying fire shaking against the trees around us. It was late into the night, the sun threatening to rise once again, and we'd have to move after it did. I hid a yawn and stretched carefully, Hunk laying next to me and Pidge in my lap.  
   The two were softly dosing, both curled up as they snuggled up to me. Hunk snored lightly, a hand tight on the hem of my sweater. Pidge had his arms wrapped tight around my leg, nuzzling up against my thigh as she would occasionally mumble names held in loving favour, his dreams nothing but sweet memories of the past.  
   I gave a soft smile, taking a worn leather journal from my bag. My movements were slow and careful as I did so, afraid to wake one of the two up.  
   After a moment of silent thought, I ran my hand over the torn cover, the bent corners rubbing against my callused hands. It was an old book, already about a year old; but it had only been used once.  
   I opened it up to the first page, finding an entry labeled 'May 8, Monday' at the top. It had been around five months ago that I had used the book to record my thoughts, and reading back on it, I couldn't help but snicker at how childish the entry sounded. I also couldn't help but to feel a strong tug in my chest, knowing that while I had written that entry, I had been scared senseless, sent into a sleepless state; the state of terror and constant paranoia had left me practically immobile when Pidge and Hunk had needed me most.  
   Despite all this, the entry sounded cheery and excited, as if the world hadn't come crashing down at all. As if I hadn't been midst a complete panic as I wrote it, hands shaking harshly after one of my first nightmares.  
   I broke my gaze from the words, taking the pen in my bag out as I turned to the next page, starting my first entry in forever.  
   It grew increasingly awkward as I went. What was I supposed to write, anyways?  
   'Oh Hunk, you sweep me off my feet with your big, muscled arms~ please, carry me into the sunset as we ride a horse over the corpse of the dead!~'  
   No; that's weird. Closing the book in defeat, I turned my gaze back to our surroundings. We were atop a clear hill, so the threat of a rotter wasn't as horrifying as it was back when we had camped out in the forest. It was a bad decision, and I had almost been bit when Hunk couldn't pull me from my sleep soon enough. Luckily, we survived, but it had left us rattled for a few days; we had found out a few hours later, resting in a tree, that a single rotter had actually been about twenty of them.  
   I yawned as I shook away my thoughts once again, my hands thoughtlessly playing with Pidge's matted hair. The sun was topping the trees now, it's rays starting to fall on Pidge's face. Instead of complaining and sitting up, however, he flipped over, scrunching his nose in annoyance.  
   Hunk continued to sleep for a bit longer, but soon was awake, fussing at my side.  
   "Lance, why didn't you wake me? I could have taken watch for you- you aren't in any condition to deal with rotters at this point!" He fretted quietly, obviously fully awake in the first few minutes.  
   I brushed his worries aside, giving a toothy grin.  
   "I'll be fine Hunk, you needed sleep more than I did anyways. The last few days have been pretty rough. But it's fine! I'm used to pulling all nighters."  
   Pidge finally stirred, his eyes blinking open slowly before he finally sat upright, taking a moment to lean his head against my chest before cussing the sun off under his breath. I snorted softly.  
   "What'd the sun ever do to you?"  
   "It created this galaxy, is what. Damn thing has to show up and make stupid planets. And it woke me up." He continued to grumble sleepily, oblivious to the little sense he was making as he approached his bag.  
   "Time to get on the move again?" I asked softly, slipping the journal back into my bag; Pidge nodded in return, tugging a map from his own.  
   "If I'm right, then-" he stopped to muffle a short yawn; "then we're right next to a big city. It's probably got quite a few rotters, but I'm sure some of the buildings must still have food and supplies." He stopped for a moment, focusing on the map before pulling out a sharpie. He marked off an area before circling another, folding the map up and putting it away.  
   "We should probably get Lance some more sun screen. He's got sunburn freckles again." Hunk shook his head lightly with a small smile.  
   "Then camping out in a building for a few days or a week might be a good idea. We should see if the city is cleared out already; that Galra gang might have been through here already." Pidge tugged his rucksack up, slinging it over his shoulder.  
   "To the city?" I grinned, holding my arms out. They sighed before casting each other small smiles, linking their arms with mine.  
   "To the city!" We chorused, and I started to skip, dragging them along with me.


	2. Chapter 2

   It wasn't long before I was carrying a sleeping Lance. He had obviously been up all night again, thinking that he had to keep an eye on us. It was concerning; he did this often, and then he'd be too tired to continue on after a few days.   
   Pidge said it was probably the result of trauma, and that he'd probably take a while to grow out of it. How long was a while, though?   
And how long till we find proper food in this city? I'm starving!   
   Lance mumbled as I had him rest against Pidge, prying open a door that he was too small to open himself. It looked like an old meat locker, but the metal latch had been broken.   
   "Hunk, be careful- there might be a rotter in there." Pidge whispered, moving Lance onto his back so he could run, if need be.   
   "Here, give me your knife-" he handed it to me, and I slipped it into my hand, jamming it into the latch as I struggled to slide it open. After a moment of fighting the door, I managed to open it. I almost threw up on the floor, though.   
   "Fucking hell man, that's strong!" Pidge started to gag, his knees hitting the ground as Lance fell with him. It wasn't soon before what little food he'd consumed was up on the ground.   
   A rotter groaned, half of it's face caved in and it's eyes, well, I presumed they had decayed in it's face. A grayish-green sludge oozed from the sockets as it dropped it's own arm- half eaten- to the ground.   
I slammed the door shut, kneeling next to Pidge as he continued to gag. Nothing came up other than stomach bile though; it had been too long since our last proper meal for there to actually be anything.   
   "Come on bud- it's okay, deep breaths-" Pidge gasped ruggedly, gurgling sounds escaping from the back of his throat. Lance was stirring behind him, mumbling in his sleep. I was surprised he hadn't awaken from the stench.   
   "I'm good-" he breathed out shakily, wiping his mouth off on his sleeve. I handed him my bottle of water, helping him take a drink to rinse out the foul taste and left overs before he chugged down a few gulps, trying to get something into his stomach. He handed it back, standing up after he'd calmed down. "Let's find a place to camp out. Lance needs to get some proper sleep." I nodded, putting the bottle back in my bag before lifting Lance up once more.   
   Pidge started off one way, making his way towards the edge of the city. Lance groaned slightly, his grip around my neck tightening as he tugged himself closer. Honestly, he was like a giant baby. 

»»---««

   "Wait-" I held my hand out to her, eyes flicking across the street before I tugged her from the alley. We bolted to the next building as the voices wafted through the streets.   
   "Are they also survivors?" She whispered, eyes wide as she surveyed the street. I gave a nod, helping her climb up onto the fire escape ladder.   
   "We don't know what their motive is yet though-" she grunted in response, tugging herself up over the side of the rail as I followed with ease. My prosthetic clanked against the metal rungs, echoing throughout the city. The voices died down, but footsteps started to make their way towards us. They obviously weren't far.   
   We kneeled down on the escape, ready to run if need be. Time seemed to draw out as the steps got louder. Suddenly there was the sound of tired grumbling, a large man appearing in the street as he shook another awake. A smaller boy followed, a dagger ready in his hand as he surveyed the scene.   
   "They're just children-!" She gasped, covering her mouth. I nodded in return, keeping a close eye on the leaner of the three as he let go of the bulkier one, rubbing his eyes childishly as he tried to wake up. The largest of the three had a fighting stance ready, placing himself in front of him.   
   "There's no one here. It must have been rubble falling." The short one observed, but didn't relax his stance.   
   "What's going on...?" The lean one asked, already fully awake. He had a gun out from his belt, so naturally that I never caught the movement.  
   "Pidge heard a noise. It must have been a cat or something." The bulky one sighed, rubbing his neck.   
   "Hunk, when have you even last seen a cat? I haven't seen one for seven months now." The smaller one- Pidge- observed, his stance more prepared as he raised his knife in front of his face. "Lance, mind sweeping the area real quick? It might have been a rotter." The lean one nodded as he held his gun to his side, slipping between two buildings as he started his search.   
   "Hunk, stay here. I'm going to check the buildings on that other steet for supplies and stuff."   
   "See if you can find a pharmacy, okay? Lance probably needs some of those sleeping pill things again." Is that why he had been clinging to Hunk moments ago? It wasn't all that suprising though. Allura had issues with sleeping in the first few months as well, but she quickly grew out of it.   
   We waited a long time before we heard grunts from the shattered window next to us. I pressed Allura to the wall next to the window and hovered next to the shattered glass pane, watching as the boy pulled himself up to the second floor with ease. He clicked a flashlight on his short rifle on, sweeping it around before it rested on the window. I had moved back from it before he had reached it, but something caught his attention.   
   Allura's eyes widened as she looked at her hand, a red laser point now trained on it.   
   "Who's there?" The boy asked, hardly above a whisper.  
   I looked to Allura once more, and she gave a slight nod.   
   "Please don't shoot-" I replied, my voice calm as the laser pointer turned off; or the gun was only lowered.   
   "Who's there?" He repeated once more, a hint of fear lapping at the back of his throat.   
   "It's just me and my friend. We don't have weapons with us right now."   
   "That's unlikely. This is the end of the world, of course you have a weapon." There was a pause before he continued, his feet shifting loudly. "Stand up and keep your hands behind your head."   
   I did as told, my arm creaking as the plastic and metal rubbed together. Allura followed hesitantly, her eyes wide and watchful as she kept her gaze on the one they called Lance.   
   "How long have you been watching us?" He asked, gun up once again. He took a step back, keeping his distance.   
   "Since you woke up- your friends were quite loud." Allura finally spoke, her face calm as she gave a small smile. The boy snorted, lowering his gun after a moment.   
   "I honestly don't know what I'm supposed to do if I find humans. I can't kill you like a rotter-" There was a huff as the flashlight flicked off. He slung his gun over his shoulder, turning around; he gave a gesture to signal we follow, whistling softly as he jumped back down to the first floor. Allura turned to me with a shrug, giggling as she leapt down after.   
   A few minutes had passes as we continued to walk, the boy in front of us keeping conversation with idle chatter and jokes.  
   "How rude of me-" he chuckled, turning around and suddenly stopped."I don't even know your names! Lance, Lance Mcclain- it's nice to meet ya'-" he gave a lustrious bow before winking.   
   "I'm Allura, and this is Shiro." Allura smiled softly, turning her eyes up to me as I smiled back. Even if the world was in horrible times, this boy still somehow managed to crack a smile. It was quite inspiring, few people actually smiled so comfortably with a stranger anymore. Or rather, no one was loyal enough to properly judge one.   
   "Lance-!" A voice called, the small boy freezing as he layed gaze upon us.   
   "Hey Pidge! Don't worry, they're cool! Where's Hunk?" Pidge kept a wary eye on us as he handed Lance a small box. There was a moment of silence before Lance was trying to hand the box back, his face paling. "Pidge, you know I don't need these anymore- I'm fine- I don't need it." He mumbled, his eyes flicking back from us to Pidge.   
   "Lance, you haven't slept for two days, take it. You're not helping anyone if you can't share watch." They were silent before Pidge forced the box in his hands, his gaze sharp and demanding. "Take them, Lance. I worked hard to get them." They shared a look before Lance shoved the box into his backpack, his gaze bashful as it flicked to us.   
   "Hunk is on the other street. Go get him, I found a place to stay for the night." Lance gave a small nod as he turned back yo us again, motioning for us to follow.   
   "I still don't know what to do with you two- like, do we interrogate you? Or let you go? I know that in zombie movies they like, form a miraculous bond instantly and just join. Oh, this is awkward-" Lance started to mumble before picking up a rock.   
   He turned to us, his eyes glittering as he gave a shush. He then threw the rock around the corner before ducking back, giggling slightly.   
   "Oh god- oh, oh man- Lance, is that you? C'mon man, not again-" the bulky one, Hunk, started to nervously mumble as he gazed in our direction. Lance covered his mouth as he dragged his feet against the ground, grunting like one of the walkers.   
   "Oh man, Lance knock it off- you know what Pidge said last time- he'll totally get you man- ohhhh god-" Soon enough, Lance burst out laughing, turning the corner.   
   "C'mon Hunk, you know it was funny- I totally had you!"  
   "Lance, I almost died-"   
   "Then you'll die at this; here, Shiro, Allura, come meet Hunk!" Allura was the first to step up to Lance's side, smiling softly once again. I sighed and followed suit, giving Hunk a curt nod as Lance beamed. Hunk seemed confused, even a little fearful as Lance continued to chatter away. I took the chance to observe him and find that he was less fat and more muscle, his arms and legs well toned. It was obvious that before the walkers had appeared, he had once been a well fed Teddy Bear, the type of friend that you'd snuggle up to as you all watched movies and stuff. Cliché teenager stuff.   
   "C'mon, let's go find Pidge and this camp out he found." Lance finally stated, grinning as he punched Hunk's arm playfully. He started to joke around with Hunk, Allura and I following behind in an awkward silence.


	3. Chapter 3

   Lance and Hunk had led us back to a building from earlier, one that Allura and I had overlooked a week ago. It had seemed too old to step foot in, vines threading the walls after spending so long without someone to maintain them.   
   Pidge was inside, a small fire made and small beds set up around it. They were simple, a small cocoon of blankets and pillows piled together. He had a bag of jerky in hand, chewing on a piece as he fiddled with a small pocket puzzle. He handed Lance the bag of jerky, but he just passed it to Hunk, who gave him a hesitant glance before taking it.   
He surprised me when he handed it to Allura, giving a soft smile before turning back to Lance. They exchanged a silent conversation before Hunk gave up, sending Lance to bed quietly.   
   "The pills, Lance." Pidge demanded softly, his gaze motherly as he dug into Lance's bag. Tension filled the room between the two before Lance made his way to Pidge, taking the box and his bottle of water. The tension dispersed as Lance took a swig, popping one into his mouth. He handed the items back to Pidge before returning to the pile, curling up on the edge of the it.   
   We sat in an awkward silence until Lance's breathing eased out, soft and rhythmic as he finally fell asleep. I waited a moment to break the silence, but Allura beat me to it.   
   "So, um- hello-" she said quietly, giving Pidge a soft smile.   
   "Oh, yeah- um, hey, people-" Hunk laughed from the other side of the fire, arranging the items in the bags. "Shiro and Allura. Lance didn't know what to do with them, since they're not rotters. He wanted your opinion and they sorta just followed without a fight-" Pidge nodded and set his pocket puzzle on the ground, turning to face us.   
   "You can sit next to the fire, we don't bite- at least, I don't. Hunk might if he gets hungry."  
   "Hey-!" I chuckled lightly, the scar on my nose scrunching up as I did so.   
   "But anyways, I guess you also can go back to wherever you were camped at before, or whatever." He sat for a moment, his hands over his knees. The boy pushed his glasses up, fire light reflecting off them for a moment. "I guess you could stick with us too- it would be a bit more convenient if we run into a pack again."  
   I sat in thought for a moment, turning to Allura. She bit her lip slightly, head down in thought as well.   
   "Where are you heading?" I finally asked, turning back to Pidge. He seemed taken aback for a moment, but collected his wits quickly.   
   "Lance has family in Cuba, and from what we've heard, they've been keeping a military base there and offering protection. We thought we'd head down to Florida and check it out." The fire crackled quietly as I went over it in my head; before I could make a proper decision, Allura answered for us.   
   "We'd like to join you." She stated firmly, her eyes filled with resolve as I sighed, a smile on my face. Hunk clapped happily from the other side of the fire as Pidge smiled softly.   
   "Welcome to the fam! We may be fucked up, but we got beef jerky!" Hunk stood up and hushed Pidge for his language, setting the bags in a neat pile to the side before he sat next to him. Allura stood as well, sitting closer to the fire.   
   I stayed in my spot for a moment, watching as Allura easily fit in, starting a conversation with Hunk in mere seconds. Obviously, the two both had a love for cooking. I scooted closer after I'd observed enough, letting the warm fire bathe my body with heat. My arm creaked slightly as I moved, drawing Pidge's attention almost immediately; his knife drawn in mere seconds as his gaze flicked from me to the wall and back.  
   "Sorry-" I said quickly, pulling up my sleeve to reveal my prosthetic. He set his knife to the side and crawled over to my side, his eyes wide with excitement as he pulled my arm to his lap, messing with the battered plastic cover and protruding wiring.   
   "Dude, this thing is epic- isn't this like, military grade? I'm suprised it's lasted this long-" he continued to ramble, his face filled with excitement.   
   Hunk cleared his throat and chuckled as Pidge sat back, his face bashful as he turned his gaze to his hands. "Sorry, I just was planning to work with robotics and stuff when I was older- your arm is super cool, I mean-" Before he could finish, I gave a loud laugh, holding my arm back out.   
   "It's fine, I bet you haven't seen something like this in a while, either. You can mess with it all you want, it's busted up already, anyways." I swear, the kid's face hardly kept up with his emotions as he had his bag at his side, a black box being pulled out in a matter of seconds in my hand back in his lap. The plating was off in little to no time at all as he prodded at the wiring, strange tools twisting and cutting and plucking.   
   Occasionally, he'd ask Hunk to check on it for any mistakes or possible adjustments he might have missed, but Hunk would quickly wave him off and approve him for further exploration. It was rather amusing, the way he seemed to bubble over with excitement with every tweak and twist.   
   After an hour or two, he placed the plate back in place, pressing a sealant to the edges.   
   "Try that- it was just basic modifications, but you had some damaged wiring that could've screwed you over." I flexed the arm carefully, smiling as it didn't fizzle through my shoulder. It stopped creaking as well. "See, Hunk? I told you that valve oil would come in handy-" Pidge beamed as the other huffed, throwing a bothered look.  
   "Come on dude, that was so unlikely, you just got lucky-"   
   "Sure, you believe that." Pidge smirked. We sat around the fire for a moment before Pidge yawned.   
   "I'm heading to bed- do you guys want to join the cuddle fest, or should I grab some extra blankets?" Pidge stood up, resting his hands in his pockets.   
   "Um, we'll take extra blankets-" I laughed lightly, rubbing the back of my neck. Hunk shifted the firewood, kicking dirt onto the fire as he dimmed it down. Pidge made his way to another side of the room, shuffling through a row of shelves before returning with a handful of blankets and a few pillows. Allura thanked him and took them, smiling brightly as Pidge settled down next to lance.   
   "I'll take first watch, you guys can settle for tonight. I'll wake you soon, Pidge." Hunk shuffled towards the entrance, a bat in hand as sat outside.   
   Allura set our blankets out, laid down and humming softly in response as I sat next to her. I could see Pidge snuggle into Lance's side over her shoulder, his smile gentle as he started to asleep.   
   It took awhile, but soon enough, I drifted off as well.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: panic attack

   Darkness. I shot up, heart racing as I grasped around. I could feel the hands clawing at my throat, tighter and tighter and tighter until I couldn't breathe. I tried to pull them away, hands shaking as I dug my nails into the hands but it only hurt me. I tried to call out but I couldn't hear myself, ears thick with cotton. I kept calling and screaming and shouting.   
   Suddenly, I feel thick arms wrap around me; I struggle. I claw at the arms and the hands around my throat disappear as I start to cry, trembling heavily in the arms as a light humming rummbles against my back. The darkness fades as the feeling of death breathing down my neck slips away; I fall back into the warm set of a body, my back curving into their chest as I tremble in their grip. The humming grows softer, tugging the cotton from my ears as my sobs die down.   
   The thick, dark cloak over my senses is gone as Hunk finally reaches the end of the song, his chin resting on the top of my head as I stretch out my curled up body, growing calmer as Hunk starts the song again, his thick voice ringing out this time.   
   I give a shakey sob, rubbing the tears from my cheeks as I smile at the ground. The campfire crackles before my eyes now, the warmth biting at my feet as I lay them too close. A few moments later, the song came to a close again, and I'm fully calm, curled up in Hunk's arms.   
   The murmurs of Pidge to Allura brush over my senses but I ignore them, letting myself melt into the comfort of his arms as the panic subsides.   
   A hand on my leg sends me jumping instinctively, Hunk's arms holding me tighter as Allura comes into my line of sight. Pidge stands a ways behind her, a water bottle held in their pale hands.   
   "Hey, Lance..." Allura smiles softly, holding out a hand for me. Slipping my hand into hers, she helps me slip out of Hunk's embrace and sit before her, my legs pressed to my chest as she holds my gaze.   
   Hunk and Pidge watch with soft gazes, and a rustling behind me tells that Shiro is back from keeping watch. I turn to look towards him, to see his expression- but Allura stops me- she rests a hand on my shoulder to call my attention back towards her, another soft, loving smile gracing her features.   
   "Lance, I have something for you, alright? It's just a small capsule-" She held out her hand, opening the closed fist to reveal a small, grain-like pill, the fire reflecting off the clear capsule that the powder was held in.   
   "A pill?" Pidge kneeled next to Allura, eyeing the small content of her hand with slight suspicion.   
   "Close: St. John's wort. It helps with depression and anxiety- and hopefully, panics." She gives a softer smile, letting me take the pill. "Sadly, I'm not entirely sure it will help that much. I would perform a ritual or spell for you, but I don't have much in the means of materials." She stood up after a moment, Pidge handing me the water bottle before sitting next to Hunk.   
   I waited a few moments before taking the pill in my mouth, downing half the waterbottle to chase the bitter taste that coated my throat. Hunk laughed as I gagged slightly, his eyes filled with warmth as I returned to snuggle up to him and Pidge.   
   "C'mon, Lance- we gotta head out in a few hours, get some rest." And I did just that.


	5. Chapter 5

   There was a scream, the sheer terror and fear sending a chill down my spine. I sat up quickly, hand gripping my knife as I cut away the ropes holding my wait to the tree.  
   I was hardly down the tree before another scream tore through the air, leaving the hairs on the back of my neck on end. It was a scream unlike any I had ever heard, and nothing close to the noise made by one of those bloated bags of death. It was a scream of someone who was lost, something like a child coming forth from the horrors of a sleepless sleep. Something I hadn't dealt with for many years.   
  As I grew closer to the source of the noise, the light flicker of a new flame appeared through the foliage. It was then that I suddenly stopped, rational thinking taking over. Why was I so eager to come to their aid? Did I even have a plan?  
   Over my thoughts, troubled sobs of fear and the lull of a foreign tune washed over me. The one who screamed didn't need some strangers comfort, he had others- what I had been doing was purely insane- something that shouldn't have crossed my mind. It was a thought process that had waisted some precious rope, too. Sleeping would be hard without something to keep me secure to the branches, since the ground wasn't safe and a safe spot didn't come up for another fifty miles. Sleeping in abandoned towns was a death wish if you were alone.   
   I turned around to gather up what I had left behind before there was a blade to my throat, the scent of an earthen musk washing over me suddenly.   
   "What are you doing here?" The figure forced out, a cold metal pressing into my back before I realized it was a hand. A silence followed as I stood frozen, hardly registering the fact that the crying had stopped and become friendly banter. The hand dug into my spine as he growled out the same words, this time more forcfully.   
   "I heard a scream-" I forced the words around my gritted teeth, holding back a biting remark as the hand lessened it's pressure on my back. The man never removed the blade from across my neck though. He lead me towards the flickering flame, the only sounds coming from it being the rustling of a few people. It wasn't long before the outskirts of a building appeared, larger ones beginning to tower up behind it.   
   "Now I understand Lance not knowing what to do-" the man muttered, sending a shiver down my spine. What was he talking about?   
   Withing seconds, there was another knife aimed towards my throat before it went slack.   
   "Shiro?" A small boy with wild hair quirked his eyebrow towards the man behind me, hand still tight around the dagger of his knife.   
   "Sorry- I didn't know what exactly you guys wanted to do with him, considering I'm not exactly the leader of this group-" Shiro removed the knife from my throat, slipping it to my lower back instead.   
   "I don't really make those decisions, if you wanna ask, wait till Lance wakes up. He makes those decisions." The boy turned, letting his knife rest in it's makeshift hilt once more as he returned to the side of a woman. They sat and mumbled quietly, casting glances towards the man who lay asleep on another one. The larger one cast me a small smile, pressing a finger to his lips in a quieting manner.   
   "Try anything funny and I won't hesitate." Shiro whispered towards me, his hands falling back from me as he said down opposite the two who were talking. I stood for a moment, unsure what to do; I could run? Would it be worth it? I probably wouldn't make it far, this guy was built like an ox.   
   "Hey-" the wild haired boy shook me from my thoughts, holding a bag in my direction. My mouth watered as the scent of sweet beef jerky hit my nose, but I hesitated. "Heyyy-" the boy stated again, pushing the bag closer. I took it carefully, pulling out a thin strip before casting a look towards him; he nodded approvingly.   
   I handed the bag back and knawed on the delicacy, the taste so overwhelmingly pleasant compared to stale bread and unseasoned rabbit meat. Once I had finished, there was a short pause before the woman spoke up.   
   "Hello, I'm Allura-" all eyes cast in her direction as she offered me a warming smile. I could feel the tension grow and feed off it, awkwardness rising. "What's your name?" She asked, the smile still plastered against her lips. It stayed there and the tension grew so high that it felt as if it would snap at any moment.   
   "Keith. My name's Keith." There was another pause, and if this were a comedy show, there would absolutely be the sound of a crickets sad, lonely chirp.   
   "Well, Keith, it's nice to meet you, uh, since you know-" the larger man who smiled kindly before spoke up, resting a hand over the sleeping man's ears; "there aren't exactly many friendly people out there, so yeah-" there was a nervous smile now. I simply nodded, unsure how to respond. It had been so long since I've had a friendly conversation, was there still the need for manners? Had speaking changed in any way?   
   "The name's Pidge. Welcome to your possibly temporary family; you need a drink or anything? We've got enough to last for now." Pidge hardly looked up from what he was tinkering with before he reached into the bag, handing a water bottle my way after I nod. "By the way, the Teddy bear over there is Hunk, that's Shiro, this is Allura, and Mr. Sleepy head is Lance. Just so we're on name basis." I nodded again, and the group fell silent. The names all sounded familiar- especially Shiro's- but I couldn't place where from. Didn't it have something to do with a military project?   
   A sudden gasp from Hunk's direction led to a tense moment as everyone flicked their gaze over to a troubled Lance, his face scrunched up as he slept. Pidge was next to him in no time at all as Hunk rubbed his side soothingly, face twisted with concern.   
   Pidge started to hum softly as she took Lance's head into his lap, running his fingers through his hair as the Lance latched onto his leg. I could gear Allura let out a soft sigh behind me. Soon enough though, the male's disturbed sleep faded as he sat up suddenly, almost knocking heads with Pidge.   
   "Pidge, what- why'd you let me sleep for so long? I was supposed to take watch- who's on watch?" The eyes flicked around the campsite and found my gaze imediatly, the panic leaving them as they suddenly grew fearful.


	6. Chapter 6

   "Who-" Lance stuttered, hands fumbling with Hunk's jacket as his sleepy mind fumbled with the newest appearance. I could see the gears turning in his head, his hands still working at the fabric as Keith shifted awkwardly under his fearful gaze.   
   Hunk had a hand resting lightly on his shoulder now, lightly shaking Lance from stupor. His breath hitched quietly when I stood up, most the eyes around the camp dragging their way towards me. Lance almost automatically stood as I did. The air seemed to buzz with the waves of confusion rolling off Lance, setting everyone on edge. Finally, Hunk spoke up.   
   "Lance, this is Keith-" he began, slowly hauling himself to his feet as Lance simply nodded, his eyes never leaving Keith's figure.   
   "Do you want to give him the same choice as Shiro and Allura?" Pidge spoke up this time, his wild hair bobbing with the nod of his head. "We didn't know what you'd want to do-" Lance continued to stare at Keith before turning to Pidge, starting to finally wake up properly.   
   "It's his decision; if he's gonna kill us though, he can't stay."  
   "What makes you assume I'd kill you?"  
   "You got that look to ya'!" Withing moments they were at each other's neck, snarlish grunts and growls rumbling in their throats. It took me a moment to process the brutish manner the seeming leader of this group suddenly took up; throwing his weight at the other and using the inch of extra height he had to his advantage. It was like watching a coyote challenge a weaker stray dog for dominance, without the biting.   
   Keith snapped back with full force, his shoulder shoved into the crook of his neck as another snarl broke though his barred teeth.   
   I couldn't help but wonder how other boys acted now that the world was crumbling- did they challenge each other? Was it done like this, or did they bite and scratch with tooth and nail like a wild animal? Was this normal now? Before I could finish my thoughts, the thick tension in the air snapped as Keith backed away, his face twisted into disgust.   
   "I'll stay." He then growled out moments later, a viscious glare on his face as he sent Lance another challenging look. If it weren't for Hunk stepping in, Lance probably would have socked him right in the face. 

»»------««

   "Pidge, look at this!" Hunk cried joyfully, hands running over our find. His excitement rang through the air as he popped the hood, hands already spilling into the contents of the truck as he fiddled with certain parts.   
   "Ohmygod Hunk yes!" There was an excited squeal from Pidge as he literally threw himself against the exterior. Lance and Keith followed, both standing a fair distance while Lance watched carefully. It was almost like a primal display as they skitted around each other constantly, careful not to cross the line they had set.   
   "You think you can start it?" Lance's question sent Hunk into a lengthy and detailed explanation on all the problems, leaving me a- someone who didn't know a thing about cars- quite dazed with all the information. Obviously it had been good news though, since Lance laughed and clapped him on the back, slinging his rifle over his back. "Let's give this lass a go then!" Lance was already pulling the door open before Hunk had a chance to shut the hood, hands fiddling through the glovebox.   
   "Any keys?" Pidge said, hands still brushing over the rusted shell of the truck.   
   "Nah. Hunk, come hotwire this thing." Lance sat back and kicked his feet up over the steering wheel, forcing his seat to lean back as Hunk slid into the passenger seat. There was a moment of silence as Hunk worked at the wires, and then the engine stuttered to life. It only lasted a moment though; the engine made a noise akin to a harsh coughing fit, before a cloud of smoke bellowed out through the trucks vents. Lance coughed and lept from the car, starting as soon as four mice lept out, squealing in terror. They disappeared into a pipe before Lance could properly react.   
   "Oops, my bad. I should have mentioned that I saw what looked like a mouse nest in the hood." Hunk chuckled sheepishly as he scratched the nape of his neck. "I'll start working on this now- there's a tool box in the back so- and there's also some empty gas cans if you wanna go and see if the gas station hasn't run dry yet."   
   Lance laughed and agreed, grabbing two gas cans. He then gave Keith a pointed glare, the latter hesitantly following after a moment. He grabbed a gas can as well, his shoulders rigid as he followed in close step behind Lance; a dog trailing after his master's heels.


	7. Chapter 7

   I assigned everyone tasks after Hunk had fixed the truck up the best he could. Most of them were to load up as much as they could, on hopes to last us long enough to skip the next supply stop. Going through Florida, we'd need all the money we had.   
   One would think that the end of the world would mean money would die, and civilization would be impossible to find; but the people who set up the forts and supply stops often believed that the government would fix this all. A lot envied them for this, considering small groups like ours lost hope in that a long time ago. The only thing we believe in now is survival.   
   Keith threw the torn rope at me, his glare piercing my own.   
   "What the hell has you so spaced out? You're supposed to help me pack up my shit."   
   "Planning." I replied simply as I bent over, picking the rope back up. He scoffed.   
   "You, planning? Never knew you put that brain to use."   
   "There's a reason I'm the leader, mullet-" I growled out between clenched teeth, hands gripping the rope as I resisted the urge to strangle him with it. He gave a snarky laugh as I continued to ignore him, shoving the items into a bag without thought. Suddenly, I lifted a blade, the hilt wrapped with a rugged cloth.  
   "Don't touch that. It was my mom's." He took the blade and put it into a sheith at his side, his gaze pointedly not meeting mine. I thought nothing of it and continued to pack up.   
   "Why is all your shit on the ground-" I finally asked in exasperation, shaking another torn rope at him. He grunted before responding, sitting back on his heels.   
   "Probably an animal, I had all my bags tied up in the tree. All that's gone is rabbit meat."   
   We continued in silence after that, finishing up and making our way to the group. 

»»------««

   Hunk patted me on the back as I set down Keith's bags next to our own. He was currently loading the truck, making as much room for everyone to sit comfortably as he did so. Pidge was drawing my face on the side in sharpie, having insisted that we mark what is ours- and honestly, my smile that cut through my cheek looked amazing. Even Shiro couldn't resist a snicker as he walked past; I'm just that awesome.   
   After Hunk finished loading the truck, I helped Allura lay the blankets and pillows in the back. She insisted on hanging some sort of herb from the rear-view mirror and did some weird chants. I'd probably never understand it, but if it made her more comfortable, it couldn't hurt.  
   Soon, everyone was ready to go, loading into the back and getting comfortable. I slipped into the driver side, turning the key as the engine rumbled happily. Keith slid in next to me, quiet despite my raised brow. Once everyone was settled, I grinned, mimicking a train horn.   
   "Santiago-Bejucal is leaving the station. Destino, Florida!" I laughed, backing the truck out of the alley Hunk had pushed it into. Pidge whooped as I put it back into drive, the engine chugging as the truck groaned. "¡Ánimo! You can do it, Blue-" I chuckled, patting the dashboard. Keith cast me a look, obviously questioning my sanity. 

»»------««

   "Lance, you've been driving for six hours, you should take a break." Hunk whispered through the window between the cabin and the back. Lance shook his head as he stifled a yawn.   
   "Hunk, it's fine. We're almost to the fort, okay? I'll rest then, and we can eat and get back on the road." The two were quiet for a moment, and I held my breath, continuing to pretend I was asleep.   
   "You don't need to hurt yourself for our sake, Lance. Okay? You need sleep too. I can drive for the next few hours, it's fine." Hunk started again, and it was hard to dismiss the soft sigh from Lance.   
   "Hunk, it's fine. Go back to bed." There was another silent pause. Then the truck groaned, and Hunk was gone.   
   "Fuck-" Lance groaned once Hunk began to snore again, a soft thud against the steering wheel. "Dude, you're breathing is so off. I know you're awake." I sat up slowly and glared at him, his eyes throwing daggers back before he turned back to the road. "Mullet."  
   He didn't say anything else for a while as I continued to glare, his eyes focused on the dark road. He then cut through the silence, a bright wink in my direction.   
   "I get that I'm hot, but haven't you been staring for a bit too long?"  
   "Ew-" I immediately looked away, and he gave a soft chuckle.


End file.
